RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF DIODE-PUMPED PASSIVELY Q-SWITCHED Nd:YVO4 LASERS USING Cr4+:YAG CRYSTAL AS SATURABLE ABSORBER

Nguyen Trong Nghia (Centre for Quantum Electronics, Institute of Physics and Electronics, VAST, 10 Dao Tan Str., Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi)
Trinh Dinh Huy (Centre for Quantum Electronics, Institute of Physics and Electronics, VAST, 10 Dao Tan Str., Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi)
Le Thi Thanh Nga (Centre for Quantum Electronics, Institute of Physics and Electronics, VAST, 10 Dao Tan Str., Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi)
Nguyen Dai Hung (Faculty of Engineering Physics and Nanotechnology, College of Technology, VNUH, 144 Xuan Thuy Rd., Cau Giay Dist., Hanoi)

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development
Vol. 24 No. 1-2 (2007): ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development (AJSTD)

The results in research and development of diode-pumped passively Q-switched Nd:YVO4 lasers are presented with Cr4+:YAG crystal used as an intra-cavity saturable absorber. Using a-cut Nd:YVO4 laser crystals, the passively Q-switched lasers have been successfully developed and provided stable single shortest pulses of 40 ns at the repetition rate of 18.5 kHz, the maximal average output power of 180 mW was achieved corresponding to the optical efficiency of 9% and the slope efficiency of 16%. The dependences of average output power, repetition rate, pulse width and peak power on pump diode power for different transmissions of output mirror are also investigated.